Home for the Holidays
by Rose Vaughn
Summary: Oneshot We all want our loved ones home with us for the holidays. But sometimes that isn't possible. Maybe... Warning: FLUFFY. Very fluffy.


Okay...I know there are tons of these already out there, but I wanted to write one. So, here's my addition to the mass of Christmas stories out there. Enjoy!

* * *

HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS 

"Oh…wait…I think…Yes! Found it!"

The two adults in the room grinned as a young girl scooted out of the giant box and stood up triumphantly.

"I found…" she held her arm out at her sides. "The tinsel."

Videl chuckled lightly as she hung an ornament on the huge Christmas tree. "So you did."

"Unfortunately, Pan…" The girl's father said, his deep voice filling the room. "It's not much use to us now." He reached over and plucked a strand of the gold material out of her hair. "It's supposed to go on the tree."

Pan stuck her tongue out at her dad and picked up a wad of Christmas lights. Shoving it into her father's hands, she said. "Here. This needs to be untangled."

Gohan gaped at his daughter for a moment before turning to his wife. "She takes too much after you."

"You say that like it's a bad thing."

Gohan smiled as he began to untangle the mess of lights dumped on him. He loved the holidays…the snow, the food, decorating the tree, as they were doing right now. The demi-Saiyan watched his daughter place several ornaments on hooks, balance them on her fingers, and hand them to her mother.

"Thank you, sweetie." Videl said as she took them one by one and hung them on the branches of the pine tree.

This was something they did every winter; hunt down the perfect Christmas tree, and display it in their den. Gohan loved to watch his six year old daughter play in the snow; the white flakes highlighting her black tresses. He delighted in the way her bottomless black eyes lit up as she formed a snowball and clobbered her unsuspecting mother in the back of her head. Gohan laughed lightly as he remembered the huge snowball fight they had gotten into yesterday.

"What are you snickering about?" Videl asked as she sat down in Gohan's lap, holding the tree topper.

He smirked. "Nothing."

Videl kissed him lightly on the lips and handed the topper to her husband. "Here. Help Pan with this."

Gohan gently nudged Videl off his lap and stood up, handing the dragon to Pan. "You know, you could just fly up there."

Pan grinned as Gohan picked her up and held her close to the top of the tree. "I know…but this is more fun." She said, placing the glass ornament on the tree.

Once the topper was in place, Gohan held Pan in his arms as Videl stood next to him, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"Looks good." Videl said as she looked at the tree.

It was a large one, decorated in white lights and gold beads. The dozens or ornaments hanging from its branches were replicas of the orange Dragonballs, and the topper at crown of the tree was a blown glass dragon with ribbons of gold entwined throughout the figurine.

Pan glanced around the room at the boxes littering the floor. "Wow. We made a mess."

Gohan raised his eyebrows. "Yes, we did. How bout we just incinerate it?"

"And set the carpet on fire?" Videl said. "I don't think so."

Pan hopped out of her father's arms and started putting the smaller boxes into the larger ones they came out of. Gohan and Videl knelt down to help her when the phone suddenly rang.

"I'll get it." Gohan said.

A few minutes later, Gohan came back into the den, a frown on his face.

"What's wrong?" Videl asked.

"That was the university. They're having some computer problems at the North City campus. They need me to go and help them get it sorted out."

"What? When do you have to leave?"

"Tomorrow."

Videl stood up. "You'll be back by Christmas, right?"

Gohan shook his head.

"And there's no way you can get out of it?"

Gohan sighed heavily. "I wish I could…but there's no way I can." He looked at Pan, who was still cleaning up the boxes, completely tuned out of the conversation that her parents were having. "She's going to be crushed."

"I know."

* * *

The next morning, Videl and Gohan were in their bedroom packing his bags when Pan came in. 

"Are you sure you won't be home for Christmas?" She asked, with a pout on her face.

"No baby, I won't. I'm sorry."

Tears began rolling down her cheeks. "But, I don't want you to go."

Gohan finished folding a pair of slacks and put them in the suitcase. He turned and picked up his daughter. "I know sweetie, but I don't have a choice."

Pan sniffled and wrapped her arms around Gohan's neck hand hugged him tightly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." He said, placing the little girl on the bed and kissing her forehead.

Once finished packing, Videl and Pan followed Gohan to the front door where the limo driver was waiting. The chauffeur took Gohan's bags to put into the car. Snow started to fall to the ground as Gohan kissed Videl lightly.

"Be careful." Videl said.

"I will." Gohan knelt down so he was at eye level with Pan. "You behave for your mommy, okay?"

She nodded and hugged him. "I will. Love you daddy."

"I love you too." He stood up and gave Videl one last kiss.

"Call me when you get to the hotel."

Gohan nodded and walked out to the limo that was waiting fro him. Both Videl and Pan stood at the door, watching the sleek black car until it was out of sight.

Videl looked down at her depressed daughter. "Come on. Let's go make some hot cocoa."

Pan followed her mother inside. "Kay."

* * *

Three days had passed since Gohan had left for North City. It was Christmas Eve and Pan had gone to bed hours ago. Despite her father being gone, she was still excited about the next morning, and the myriad of gifts that awaited her. 

It was past midnight, and Videl sat curled up in Gohan's plush easy chair next to the window. She was looking outside, watching as the snow drifted gently to the ground. It had been snowing non-stop since Gohan left, and if they had been a normal family, they would have been snowed in for days. Pan would love it in the morning; going out to play after all the presents had been opened.

But it would be better if Gohan were home.

Videl sighed as she finished off the glass of Eggnog she was holding. Pan had put it out with a plate of cookies for Santa. She placed the empty mug on the table next to a dish with one remaining half-eaten cookie on it...Santa didn't have enough time to finish them all. At least that's what the child would think.

The young woman pulled the afghan she had draped over her body tighter around her neck, trying to chase away the winter chills. It was hard to stay warm without Gohan's arms wrapped securely around her. She hated not having him home; it was the first time since they had been married that they hand been separated for the holidays.

Videl looked back at the Christmas tree; its lights filling the room with a soft glow. Several new presents were placed with the ones that had already been there, all marked to Pan, from Santa.

Finally, sleep began to pull at the edge of the young woman's mind, and she dozed off, her dreams filled with images of her husband.

A few hours later, Videl was awoken by a soft voice and something brushing across her forehead. She grumbled quietly and shifted in her chair, whatever it was whispering to her again. Groaning, she opened her eyes, and was greeted by two beautiful obsidian orbs gazing back at her.

Videl smiled. "I thought that you wouldn't be back in time for Christmas."

Gohan kissed her lightly. "I decided that my family was more important that the University."

"I'm glad you're home." Videl said as Gohan lifted her into his arms.

"Me too." Gohan said. Then he carried her upstairs to their bedroom and lowered her onto the bed.

Videl grinned as Gohan changed into his nightclothes and crawled under the covers. He pulled her into his loving embrace, finally chasing those winter chills away.

* * *

"Wake up!" The excited voice rang through the halls of the house. "It's Christmas!" 

Gohan and Videl were roused from their slumber as the bedroom door burst open and Pan rushed in. "Mommy! Wake up! It's-"

Pan froze when she saw her father lying next to her mother. "Daddy!" She yelled, tackling Gohan. "You're home! I missed you!"

Gohan grinned as Pan crawled underneath the covers and snuggled in-between him and Videl. "I missed you too baby."

"Santa rocks."

Videl twirled a strand of Pan's hair around her fingers. "Why's that?"

"Cause he brought daddy home for Christmas."

Videl chuckled. "Speaking of Santa…don't you want to go downstairs and see what he brought you?"

"Ooo! Yeah!" She bolted out of the bed. "Come on! Let's go open presents!"

Gohan groaned and flopped back one the bed once Pan was out of the room. "It isn't even six yet. Think she'll notice if we go back to bed?"

"It wouldn't be so bad if you hadn't been up until three." Videl said as she got out of bed and put on her robe.

Gohan threw off the covers and sat up. "I guess it's worth it. But I am so crashing early tonight."

As the pair reached the top of the staircase, they heard a loud squeal. "Look at all of this! Come on guys! Hurry up!"

When they got to the den, Pan was crawling amidst the brightly decorated presents, looking for every one of them that was hers. "Which one am I going to open first?"

Pan didn't wait for an answer as she began tearing into the pile of gifts. Paper, boxes, and bows went flying as the little girl rushed to see what she had gotten. Both Videl and Gohan waited patiently for her to calm down somewhat before opening their gifts.

After it was all said and done, Pan played with her toys as her parents went upstairs to get dressed. When they came back down, her eyes were glued to a hand-held video game.

"Pan," Gohan said. "Why don't you go get dressed. Then we can go play outside."

"Cool!" She immediately turned off the game and bolted upstairs.

Videl hollered after her. "Dress warmly!"

While waiting for Pan to return, Videl began to pick up the wrapping paper strewn across the floor. As she passed by Gohan's chair, she squeaked when he suddenly pulled her into his lap. "Santa brought you something too." Gohan said slyly.

Videl grinned. "Oh really? And what would that be?"

Gohan reached into the storage pocket in his arm chair and pulled out a medium sized velvet box. "Merry Christmas."

Videl took the box from him and lifted the lid. Her eyes lit up when she saw what was hidden within.

"You like it?"

"Gohan…I love it. It's beautiful."

It was a necklace, set in platinum. The pendant was two flowers with canary yellow diamonds in the centers, and the pedals were formed with rubies and sapphires. The stems were platinum, with two emerald leaves attached to each one.

Gohan removed it from the box and fastened it around his wife's neck. "I saw it in the window at a jewelry store in North City and had to get it for you."

"Thank you." Videl said, kissing him deeply.

"Ew! Gross! You're kissing!"

Videl and Gohan pulled away from each other to see Pan standing at the foot of the stars, all bundled up, ready to go outside. "There's nothing wrong with kissing, sweetie." Videl said.

"Boys are gross." Pan said, crossing her arms.

"Well," Gohan asked. "What about me?"

She walked over to the door. "You aren't a boy. You're a daddy. So you aren't gross."

Videl snickered and Gohan laughed. "Well…that's nice to know."

Pan opened the front door and rushed outside, eager to get out into the show. "Come on, slow-pokes!" She said, flopping down in the snow to make a snow angel.

"All right, all right…we're coming." Gohan said as he helped Videl with her coat, and then put his own.

Gohan grinned as he dodged a snowball aimed as hit head. Videl bent down and formed one of her own, chucking it back at her daughter. Yeah…it was definitely worth it…coming home for Christmas. But then…was there really ever a doubt about that?

* * *

This started out as a Trunks/Pam story...but once it was done, it didn't quite feel right. So I changed the names. It think it works better. I've been meaning to write a Gohan/Videl story for a while, and this gave me the chance to get it done. Thanks for reading! 


End file.
